Mount Hood

Music from the unknown

Darien Campo | Designer

As an insufferable music snob, my hunt for even more obscure artists to listen to never ends. Over the years I’ve padded my iPod collection with a large collection of albums from unsigned and little-known bands. From indie artists to solo bedroom producers: here, I’ve collected some of my favorite albums that deserve much more attention than they get.

“You and I, Animals” – Black and White Envelope

Black and White Envelope is a solo artist from Connecticut, recording music in his own bedroom studio. “You and I, Animals” is a fun-filled record of bright pop-rock and catchy-as-hell tunes. His music sounds so much like a collection of lost Vampire Weekend tracks, a comparison he gladly boasts on social media. The upbeat rhythms, angular melodies and bright instrumentation make every track fun composition. So, if you’re looking for more Vampire Weekend-style Baroque pop, Black and White Envelope is there for you.

Recommended track: “Conversation Aviation”

Photo by: Blackandwhiteenvelope.bandcamp.com

“Anywhere That’s Wild” – Adventure Galley

The Portland-based group Adventure Galley bring an energetic mix of synth-pop and dance-rock to the table. “Anywhere That’s Wild” perfectly mixes the best parts of upbeat rock music and cool synthesizers. With a cutting punk edge to the lyrics and vocal delivery, Adventure Galley is what the Arctic Monkeys would sound like if Alex Turner had grown up listening to nothing but synth-pop. The powerful dance beats and enormous harmonies are sure to get anybody moving.

Recommended track: “Diane”

Photo by: Adventuregalley.bandcamp.com

“The Coast is Never Clear” – Beulah

Though Beulah is no longer together, they are one of my all-time favorite bands and there’s no way I could leave them off a list like this. The Elephant Six rock group brings punk eclecticism along with dense orchestration, poetic lyricism and infectiously catchy choruses. Where most bands use orchestral instruments as flavoring for their track, Beulah has an almost cinema-like quality in their use of brass and strings that makes their music feel totally massive. “The Coast is Never Clear” is an album of winners, with not a single filler track to be found.

Recommended track: “A Good Man is Easy to Kill”

Photo by: www.beulahmania.com

“Nostalgia” – Wren

Photographer and poet Cody Weber’s side project, Wren, has released some great experimental music over the years, but, for me, “Nostalgia” is his most powerful record. “Nostalgia” makes use of a bizarre twist on alternative hip-hop and trance that feels utterly unique. The samples are strange and otherworldly, the synthesizers are gritty and warped and the beats pound you in the chest with every hit. I completely credit this record with opening my mind up in high school to more experimental and electronic music. “Nostalgia” is uncompromising and powerfully personal.

Recommended track: “The Shakes”

Photo by: Iamwren.bandcamp.com

“Sincerely, Future Pollution” – Timbre Timbre

Canadian freak folk group Timbre Timbre released their newest album “Sincerely, Future Pollution” in the spring of 2017, and it’s a great starting point to their haunting, groovy sound. Timbre Timbre sound like a scary twist on Bowie-like pop with a great focus on atmosphere. Filthy instrumentation, drenched in reverb, with hauntingly beautiful atmosphere to wash over it all – Timbre Timbre is worth a listen if you’re looking for a stranger, slower burn of a record to explore.

Recommended track: “Grifting”

Photo by: Timbertimbre.bandcamp.com

“Tsunawatari” – Hako Yamasaki

Hako Yamasaki’s 1976 record “Tsunawatari” is a strange journey through a world of psychedelic folk-pop. Yamasaki channels the singer-songwriter power of artists like Bob Dylan on this album, with gorgeous acoustic ballads that give way to oddly textured folk tracks. Even as a native English speaker, I can still feel the strength in Yamasaki’s soaring vocal hooks and skillful lyrical rhythms. “Tsunawatari” is a subtle record that invites you to intimately explore it’s musical complexities.

Recommended track: “Himawari”

Photo by: www.albumoftheyear.org

 

“Dialects” – SNOWMINE

Brooklyn five-piece SNOWMINE have their own take on what pop music should sound like; they strike a perfect balance between electronic soundscapes and soaring orchestral strings. Singer Grayson Sanders’s smoky tenor deftly handles the complex poetry of SNOWMINE’s lyrical content, leading to music that is sometimes hard to sing along to, but always easy to get stuck in your head. “Dialects” is SNOWMINE’s sophomore effort, and an incredible triumph for such a young band.

Recommended track: “Plans”

 

Contact the author at dcampo13@wou.edu

Powers wows with performance

Zoë Strickland | Editor-in-Chief

Smith Hall opened to a nearly full house on March 2 as senior Kathryn Powers took center-stage. Powers was there for her junior music recital, and spent the next hour filling the music hall with a selection of soulful songs.

For Powers, who’s working toward achieving a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance, a junior recital is integral to her degree; she’ll be performing her senior recital, a capstone performance that will primarily consist of original songs, in fall 2018.

During her performance, Powers was joined on stage by numerous peers, including drummer Cole Johnston, bassist Jacob Marsh, guitarist Connor Johnson and pianist Ethan Keleher, as well as backup vocalists Brandon Franko, Julia Miller, Amanda Mahaney and Hannah Williams.

The night kicked off with a performance of Amy Winehouse’s “Valerie,” which set the tone for a catchy night of primarily well-known songs and plenty of soul.

Before the start the fourth song, “Lost” by Anouk, Powers took a moment to bring out Johnson, who served as the piece’s sole instrumentalist, joining her on stage and momentarily dismissing the other stage members. Prior to the start of the song, Powers took time to reminisce about her first experience with “Lost,” noting that, “(she) thought it was the most beautiful song in the world.”

When deciding what songs to include, she was conscious of the the way each piece of the setlist interacted with one another.

“I wanted them to be able to fit well together and be almost like a collection of songs,” Powers said. “I wanted them to be some of my favorite songs — songs that I already knew pretty well so that they would be easier to memorize, and I wanted the audience to be able to connect with them.”

Powers began attending Western in fall 2015 as an elementary education major, however, regular walks through the music building ultimately changed her mind. “I figured out that my heart wanted to be in the music department so I changed my major back to music,” Powers said — before attending Western, she studied music at Umpqua Community College.

“I’ve definitely learned a lot since changing my major when it comes to songwriting, performing, and transcribing music,” said Powers. “I can also say that meeting my friends in the music department has probably been just as impactful to me as a musician as taking classes with my professors. All of them are such amazing musicians and they help me to become a better one as well.”

Powers’s performance was one of the first in the end of term rush of student recitals. The shows continue on March 7 at 7:30 p.m. for the chamber ensemble performance, as well as another student recital on March 8 at 11:00 a.m.

Contact the author at journaleditor@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

Music while you dine

Zoë Strickland | Editor-in-Chief

Valsetz was bursting with the sound of acoustic guitar on March 2, when Cooper Anstett came to campus as part Valsetz Live, hosted by the Student Activities Board and Weekend Programs.

Anstett, a Michigan-based folk singer, found himself performing on the stage of the dining hall by way of the National Association for Campus Activities.

“We usually hire all of our performers from NACA,” said Matthew Ciraulo, Director of the Student Activities Board. “So, that’s just a whole weekend where people are performing and getting people riled up.”

Anstett’s performance was part of a push by the board to bring more musical events to campus.

“My executive board really wants this campus to be a musical campus for people to really want to listen to music,” said Ciraulo. “We came up with the idea of Valetz Live.”

For Valetz Live specifically, they wanted to bring an artist who was both talented and dynamic since the bustle of Valsetz can yield a hesitant audience.

The show boasted a moderate, but lively audience, who joined along with Anstett’s singing. The performance was centered around narrative nearly as much as it was music. Throughout the set, he interacted with the audience as well as provided commentary on each piece he was performing.

Anstett’s most famous song, “Move,” first appeared in a 2016 Chevy commercial. The song, though used to promote vehicles, was originally inspired by him having to take care of an intoxicated friend.

“The funny thing about this song is that it was in a Chevy commercial, which was really cool for me. But they had no idea it was about taking care of your turnt buddy,” noted Anstett before the performance.

Anstett’s latest album, “Cooper,” came out in 2016 and can be found on most digital music platforms.

Contact the author at journaleditor@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

Additions to your next game night

Sam Dunaway | News Editor 

Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

Game nights are often a cheap and exciting way to spend an evening with good friends. But, if you’re anything like me, you might be looking for new activities to add to your repertoire besides “Cards Against Humanity.” Read on for my personal favorite games and enjoy them at your next game night.

Codenames

This four to eight player game is one of my absolute favorites. A grid of codenames, or random words, are placed in front of the players. The group splits into two teams and elects a spymaster for each team. The spymasters are the only ones who know the secret identities of the cards and must try and get their team to guess the correct codenames to win. This game is a ton of fun and the random placement of the cards means that combinations are endless. And even better, “Codenames: Deep Undercover” is the mature version of the game and usually costs less than $20 at most department stores.

Photo by: Codenamesgame.com

Jackbox Games

Jackbox Games are probably my favorite way to spend a Friday night. With four party packs to choose from, Jackbox Games are easily downloaded from a Playstation, Xbox or Steam and each player connects to their game through their phone. Trivia games like “You Don’t Know Jack” provide you and your friends with the opportunity to battle it out to see who knows the most useless information. “Quiplash” generates ridiculous prompts and allows you to come up with your own responses. “Drawful,” similar to Pictionary, challenges your drawing skills and awards points to the players that guess correctly. For less than $25 a pack, these party games are versatile, convenient and not your average board game.

Photo by: Jackboxgames.com

Heads Up

Board games can be expensive, but this classic app provides hours of entertainment for only 99 cents at the App Store. With different decks such as Act it Out, Animals Gone Wild and Accents and Impressions, this charades-like game involves one player guessing what’s written on the hidden card by using hints from the rest of their team. This inexpensive and simple game can be played anywhere with family, friends, or coworkers.

Photo by: warnerbros.com

Ticket to Ride

This game requires at least an hour or two of invested time, energy and strategy. Players take turns attempting to claim railway routes that connect cities on a map of the United States, and the longer the route, the more points you can earn. But unfriendly players may choose to sabotage your routes in process. I’m the type of person that gets discouraged with intense rules and confusing plotlines but, fortunately, Ticket to Ride is fairly easy to learn and jump right into. This game is a little more expensive, usually $25 to $35 depending on which edition you buy, but it also provides hours of entertainment that makes it worth the price.

Photo by: daysofwonder.com

Dutch Blitz

Prepare to be stuck playing round after round of this addicting card game. Incredibly fast-paced and at times fairly challenging, the objective is to essentially get rid of all of your cards by creating “Dutch Piles.” Prepare to feel the stress of looking for that one card you need in time before someone yells out “Blitz!” which signals that they have beat you to the point. While the game is designed for four, expansion packs can also be purchased if you want to include more people.

Photo by: Dutchblitz.com

The Oregon Trail Card Game

For this game, we’re traveling back to 1848. It’s time to see if you and your party can hitch up your wagons and make it all the way to Oregon. This card game is based on the original computer disk game and will leave you feeling nostalgic with every “Broken Axle” or “You Have Died of Dysentery” card you draw. Pulling cards from the deck that will oftentimes frustrate you, this game can be a lot more difficult than one would assume.

Photo by: pressmantoy.com

Contact the authors at journalnews@wou.edu and chealy16@wou.edu

Review: “Ugly Delicious”

Caitlyn Nakatsukasa | Freelancer

The word ‘food’ is sure to capture my attention whether I see pictures of it on social media or physically up close and personal. That is why Netflix’s new food-focused travel series “Ugly Delicious” undoubtedly seized my interest and increased my excitement for their anticipated release date on Feb. 23.

This show is about award-winning chef David Chang teaming up with director and producer Morgan Neville and food writer Peter Meehan to travel across the world and explore the different types of food and the cultural insights behind the food’s value. Each episode has a different food theme that Chang and his crew apply to different countries  they try and see how each of the countries interpret the dish and cook it in a way that represents their culture.

Rather than giving cooking lessons and showing how food should be made, they listen to stories and the history behind how restaurants make their dishes and what makes each piece stand out from a traditional dish. The show depicts how people categorize different dishes to a specific country and establish a certain meaning behind them because of where they originated from. Chang and his crew work together to tackle the culinary stereotypes and see how they use their local ingredients and methods of cooking to create the themed food in their perspective.

I found this show to be quite interesting, as it wasn’t what I was expecting. I was expecting to see more on how different restaurants around the globe cook their authentic dishes. The show mostly focuses on the importance of the dish and how it can relate to everyone whether the food derived from that area or not. “Ugly Delicious” also gave me insight regarding how these other restaurateurs and cooks think when they create the food and how it led to the business’s success. Each episode also lets you get to know Chef Chang a little better. His candid jokes and remarks made scenes more compelling and his snobby attitude made me want to watch more so I could see what he had to say about the dishes he tried.

Throughout the episodes, he meets with celebrities such as actor Aziz Ansari and television host Jimmy Kimmel to try food with them. Their conversations are amusing because of their humorous comments and their insights regarding what they think of the food. It’s interesting to find these celebrities in a different genre of entertainment because I’m so used to seeing them in their own shows.

Overall, I greatly enjoyed “Ugly Delicious” because it highlights cultural contrasts and new facts about food. I found it entertaining how an Australian restaurant can make similar version of Italy’s acquired dish using Australian ingredients and culinary knowledge and vice versa. I’m amazed at the abundance of different alterations people can make for one dish and with it still being a huge hit.

I would definitely recommend “Ugly Delicious” if you’re a person that wants to learn more about different food around the world and listen to the personal stories behind them, or if you just love food like me and enjoy watching anything related to food. I also recommend grabbing some food to eat after watching this you’re more than likely to get hungry and crave the foods you’ll see in these episodes.

Contact the author at cnakatsukasa15@wou.edu

Photo by: netflix.com

Bringing eastern Texas to Western Oregon

Stephanie Blair | Staff Writer

On March 1, the “nicest little whorehouse you ever did see” will be open to the public at Rice Auditorium. Under the direction of dance professor Sharon Oberst, actors and techs have been preparing Western’s production of “Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,” a Tony Award-winning musical best known for the 1982 film adaptation.

The show, both wild and western, tells the story of conservative ideals battling it out against a century of tradition in Texas. After popular television personality Melvin P. Thrope, portrayed by junior BFA acting major Nicholas Hulscher, condemns a whorehouse, the town goes into a frenzy. Some trying to close it, others fighting to keep it open.

At the center of the conflict is brothel-owner Miss Mona — the iconic role portrayed by Dolly Parton in 1982, here played by Lindsay Spear — and the abiding Sheriff Dodd, who regular attendees of Western theater will recognize as senior BFA acting major Gabriel Elmore. It seems like a simple plot, but the two-hour long production tackles a number of themes.

“This show is much more than it presents itself to be. There are societal overtones to it which I believe are still prevalent today,” said Elmore. “The deep-seated tragedy of watching something unfold before your very eyes, knowing damn well that there’s nothing you can do to stop it, is something which isn’t addressed in everyday life.”

The musical is still primarily a comedy, however, and a mature one, at that. Parents who are unfamiliar with the show may wish to see it before bringing their children. On the doors of Rice Auditorium, signs can be found warning of adult themes, including alcohol use, strong language and mild sexual content, in stereotypical Texan language: “Howdy y’all! This here show has some cussin’ and some rootin’ tootin’ shootin’ in it. There’s a piddlin’ of hop juice an a tad bit of spoonin’ and carryin on.”

From the 26-person cast to the box office workers, the set builders to the costume crew, the amount of work put into the production gives the show a feeling of authenticity and passion in every detail.

“I love musicals, and it’s been wonderful to have a chance to get to know some people and create some really gorgeous music with them,” said Hulscher. “A lot of work went into this show from a lot of different people, and I really hope anyone who comes to the show can see how much effort was put into it.”

Elmore echoed that sentiment, saying: “The amount of work that the ensemble has to put into a show like this is obscenely difficult, and every second counts. To watch them push themselves past what they thought possible is a wonderfully beautiful experience.”

The show opens on March 1, and continues through the week until Saturday with performances beginning at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, March 4 will have a matinee at 2 p.m. and then the schedule returns to normal, with March 7 through 10 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased at the box office in person, or by calling the office at 503-838-8462 or emailing boxoffice@wou.edu. General admission is $14; senior citizens receive a discount, making their tickets $10; and students can purchase tickets for $8 with ID.

With eight performances slated and a 600-seat house, there is plenty of opportunity to see the musical, however purchasing tickets in advance is always advised. It’s also worth noting that, though the next two main-stage productions are dance-centric, this is the only musical of the year.

 

Contact the author at sblair13@wou.edu

Photos by: Paul F. Davis

“Wish You Were Here” comes to Western

Zoë Strickland | Editor-in-Chief

Religion, pop culture and politics all intertwine within the gallery halls of Campbell Hall. On Feb. 21, the Cannon Gallery of Art unveiled its newest winter term exhibition: “Wish You Were Here,” a posthumous display of the mixed media works of local artist David George Andersen.

Andersen’s work tends to incorporate multiple mediums displayed in the gallery are pieces that feature found objects, photographs and, in one case, flashing lights.

“I think this work takes some time to fully comprehend, just as it took time for the artist to conceptualize,” said Paula Booth, director of the Cannon Gallery. “While it is exquisitely crafted work and looks beautiful in the space, some might be turned off by some of the imagery.”

The work shown in the Cannon Gallery doesn’t shy away from bringing up controversial issues. Through his art, Andersen used everyday items that are often found in popular culture as a means to explore religious symbolism, the way religion is played out through the separation of church and state, as well as religion-based slurs. In his work, exhibit goers can find references to advertising campaigns, paint by number layouts and spirit boards.

When asked what she thinks Western students can get out of this exhibit, Booth responded, “While I can’t say exactly what students will take from the exhibit, I do know that if they spend time with the work, they may be surprised by the depth of meaning and humor in the work, as well as its relevance to the current moment in history.”

Andersen, who passed away in January 2017, had signed up to show his work at Western but was unable to see the exhibit through to its inception. Andersen’s wife, Melanie Weston, chose the title and title piece for “Wish You Were Here.”

“Vacation,” the piece of art highlighted on all of the publicity materials, is comprised of a Ouija board that spells out the chosen title for the exhibit.

“Quija boards that spell out ‘wish you were here’ are, in and of themselves, kind of humorous and intriguing,” said Booth. “That combined with the fact that David is no longer with us just adds another bittersweet layer to the piece.”  

In addition to working on his own art, Andersen held multiple positions relating to exhibit design; he worked as an exhibit designer at both the Frye Art Museum in Seattle, Washington and the Cheney Cowles Museum in Spokane, Washington. In a more local context, Andersen joined the team at Hallie Ford Art Museum in Salem, Oregon in 2007 and worked as both exhibition designer and chief preparator.

“Wish You Were Here” will be on display in the Cannon Gallery until March 23. Next term, the gallery will be showcasing a display of art from students at Linn Benton Community College, as well as the 50th Annual Juried Student Art Exhibition.

Contact the author at journaleditor@wou.edu